waterproof

This week there are several sources running in on the next Samsung device, one that appear to be just as resistant to the elements as the first "Active" here with a "mini" size to boot. This device has been decidedly code-named Samsung Galaxy S4 Active mini here before its official unveiling, and details from several sources - each of them just a iffy as the next - suggest you'll be getting what's essentially the "Active" iteration of the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini on its own. This device will be the low-power underwater shooter you you've been dreaming of - perhaps.

If you're tired of waiting for the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active to come to Verizon, Kyocera has your back. The device known as Kyocera Hydro Elite brings on a 4.3-inch display at 720p with an 8 megapixel camera at its back and a front-facing camera suitable for video chat. The whole unit is rated for water immersion of up to 3.28 feet of water for around 30 minutes - not that you'd be leaving it in the drink that long - that's a real-deal IPX7 rating, mind you.

Sony's teasers for the upcoming Xperia i1 "Honami" continue to drip out, ahead of the smartphone's expected unveil at IFA 2013 in a few weeks time. Latest is confirmation that, like the Xperia Z and Xperia Z Ultra before it, the Xperia i1 will be waterproof, with a suitably splashy image showing the handset stirring up some bubbles.

Garmin has weighed into the action camera market, taking on GoPro with the VIRB and VIRB Elite, each with a waterproof casing and Full HD recording. Promising IPX-7 waterproofing and ruggedization - rather than demanding separate cases - the VIRB and VIRB Elite can shoot up to three hours of 1080p footage from a full battery, and have a 1.4-inch reflective display for low-power reviewing of footage, using ambient lighting rather than an active backlight.

Sony's Xperia Z has been a sleeper agent of sorts: launched to great fanfare at CES in January, overshadowed by the Galaxy S 4 and HTC One at launch, and yet grabbing upgrade sales from under Samsung's nose in Europe. Not bad for a company once written off in smartphones, and now Sony is hoping to repeat that success in the US, with a launch on T-Mobile USA. Does the waterproof Xperia Z do enough to distract from the heated US mobile market? Read on for the full SlashGear review.

Today Kyocera revealed two new smartphones will be coming to the US market soon, and just like their recent devices will be able to handle the elements quite well. With a successor to the original Hydro these new phones do a few things that Kyocera does best. That's be budget friendly and waterproof at the same time. Read on for details on both of these new phones.

Sony's latest waterproof Android smartphone has been revealed, the Xperia ZR, a 4.6-inch handset capable of surviving 1.5m dunking and able to shoot 13-megapixel photos underwater. Sibling to the Xperia Z we reviewed back in February, the Xperia ZR has a smaller display but the same BRAVIA Engine 2 technology for better-quality video and graphics.

Sony's Xperia Tablet Z is finally up for preorder in the US, the 10.1-inch Android slate priced from $499.99 after having been unexpected delayed. Announced at Mobile World Congress back in February as the waterproof big-screen sibling of the Xperia Z smartphone, the Tablet Z is expected to ship in the US come May 24. UPDATE: As noted by the company, It would appear that Sony's actual release date promise has been kept - as their original word included a May release in some regions and "varied" availability in others, this date is still as it was, so to speak.

This week the folks behind F5 Robotics have revealed DiveBot, also known as the "world's first ready-to-use underwater HD ROV under $1300." That's quite the feat, making such a device at such a price, and it's coming in a way that's no small challenge for the public as well - it'll be crowd-funded on its way to reality. Through the crowd-funding platform indegogo, users will be able to put down an amount of cash that will gain them early access to a final product, knowledge that they helped fun the project, or just a friendly letter saying "thanks!"

We've seen our fair share of smartphones and devices that claim to be "water-resistant" or something close, but the folks from P2i aim to deliver the full experience to all smartphones. Yesterday we showed you guys Liquipel that will treat and waterproof your device for a fee, but P2i wants our OEMs to launch phones already fully protected.

We've all had or seen that terrible moment where someones shiny new smartphone falls into the toilet, pool, lake, or sink. While there's many different technologies available today to protect and water-resist our favorite devices Liquipel is among the best. We first saw them last year at CES to great fanfare, but at CES 2013 they've announced Liquipel 2.0 -- and it's coming to a mall near you.

Sony is starting 2013 with a bang, in the shape of the new Sony Xperia Z smartphone, a 5-inch 1080p powerhouse that wraps a 13-megapixel camera, quadcore S4 Pro processor, and 4G LTE in a waterproof glass casing. Revealed at CES today, and beginning a global roll-out in Q1, the Xperia Z puts Sony back on top of its game (and leaves us wishing Sony, not LG, was picked for the latest Google Nexus product). Read on for our hands-on first impressions.